The manufacturers that make digital input amps that change PCM to PWM call their amps "digital'. Yes, the output stage is class D so it is not digital but the input stage is digital.....so you might call it a half digital/half class D amp. However, I think it is a good idea to call these amps digital because you then know what you are dealing with. Some of these "digital amps" use no feedback....since they have no analog stages to take feedback to. Technics, Tact, and Lyndorf use this kind of "digital" amp. I am sure there are others. There are no DACs in a "digital amp".....they only need a digital signal. However, some "digital amps' have analog inputs and then they use an ADC to change the signal to PCM and then convert to PWM for the output amp stage.
AGD Tempo in the house
It is very interesting to spend time with amps. You go to shows or even go to someone's house and listen to and amp and because it isn't on your gear and in your environment, it sounds good but it is insanely difficult to judge vs other gear.
So AGD is a brand I had been flirting with and finally a customer asked for a demo so I put in my order and a few days later the Tempo arrived. I dropped in into my system and all I can say is WOW. It has all the grunt required to drive my Vivids. Is warm and sweet with an extremely wide sound stage.
Even fresh out of the flight case, (no box here) it didn't sound digital at all. This sounds closer to Class A to me than Class D. I have not heard a different GaN at this point but I am fascinated by this and how good it sounds compared to other Class Ds and even Class ABs.
The other surprising part is this unit is about 1/3 the size of a normal component. I know I am a hair late to the game with GaN but damn, is it ever too late to celebrate a product.
Showing 3 responses by ricevs
I would not buy this amp without directly comparing to the Atmasphere GaN amp....basically, the same price and the Atmasphere's are mono blocks. Mono amps always sound better than stereo amps. I am sure you could arrange to have both at the same time and decide between the two. If manufacturers or dealers will not allow home trial's......this is not good. I always sold my finished amps with a 30 day in house trial......no one ever sent one back. |
Another amp in this price range to consider is the Kinki EX-B7. These 250 watt mono blocks are used by Srajen at 6 moons as his reference.....and he has heard the AGD Gran Vivace amps. These amps are $3500 a pair and are made super well. 2.5 meg bandwidth.....all the input and output stages mounted on one board with input and output jacks directly soldered to that board.....very tweak. Check this out: https://www.kinki-studio.com/ex-b7
|